Is Garlic Keto? 10+ Keto Recipes That Prove It Is!

Garlic is a staple of cuisines throughout the world and has been treasured for its health benefits since ancient times. And in modernity, research appears to confirm many of the benefits of garlic.

But, you might wonder, is garlic keto?

The short answer is “yes”. But the full answer is, of course, more complex.

So today, let’s not only ask can you eat garlic on keto, but look at the carbs in garlic and what some garlic keto recipes might look like.

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Is Garlic Keto-Friendly?

Though we usually think of it as a spice, garlic should be considered a vegetable. It belongs to the onion family, along with shallots, leeks, chives, and the like.

Due to its strong flavor, however, we tend to eat it in much smaller amounts than we would other onions. A little bit will last a long way.

Because of this, you would rarely ever be in a situation where garlic would max out your macros. But let’s take a closer look at why this is the case.

The Carbs in Garlic

A single, normal-sized garlic clove brings in about 0.9 grams of net carbs.

That’s already a meager amount. But since we usually would use garlic as a flavor amendment and not a regular vegetable, 0.9 grams end up distributed throughout the entire dish, further reducing its impact on your daily macros.

An important caveat here is garlic powder. Because it’s a concentrated form of garlic with all the water removed, it’s far denser. A teaspoon of garlic powder contains 2 grams of net carbs, so be sure to exercise caution when using this seasoning.

Best Keto Recipes with Garlic

Garlic is a versatile vegetable. It can be cooked crushed, whole, or peeled. Most commonly, it tends to end up boiled, sauteed, or roasted.

This versatility lets you do a lot with it. Garlic sauces are always popular, and it’s an essential component of many stir-fries and baked vegetable recipes.

Here are some of our favorite keto-friendly ways to use garlic.

• Keto Garlic Bread — You might not expect garlic bread to fit into a keto diet. However, with the use of almond flour, you can bake up delicious cheese-stuffed garlic bread that only packs 4.3g of net carbs per serving.
• Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic “Bread” — If 4.3g is still a little too much for your meal plan, we present you with an alternative. By swapping out the bread with roasted eggplant, you can have that cheesy garlic goodness at only 1.7g of net carbs per serving.
• Keto Cobb Salad — A Cobb Salad would be the perfect keto-friendly lunch, were it not for the fact that the dressing is usually loaded with sugar. This recipe remedies that with a delicious, homemade red wine vinaigrette that will delight while keeping keto.
• Cucumber Avocado Salad — Trying to practice Meatless Mondays on a keto diet can feel like a challenge at times. This crisp lunch offering, however, presents a quick and easy vegetarian offering that won’t set your macros back.
• Keto Mozzarella Sticks — Along with garlic bread, mozzarella sticks are probably a treat you thought you could say goodbye to on your keto diet. But with this easy recipe, you can enjoy crispy, cheesy goodness at a fraction of the net carbs.
• Keto Stuffed Zucchini with Ground Beef — A simple, healthy Zucchini Boat recipe with only 4g of net carbs per serving. Perfect for a summer barbecue!
• Keto French Fries — Everyone on a keto diet misses French Fries. Everyone. Get some of that taste and experience with a fifth of the net carbs by swapping Potatoes for Rutabagas.
• Keto Green Bean Casserole — Nothing beats a casserole full of cream cheese and mushroom sauce with a touch of garlic to spice it up. With only 7 grams of net carbs per generous serving, this recipe is a must.
• Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus — This easy oven-baked recipe is an ideal side dish to any barbecue or meat. It is simple, tasty, and enhanced by the flavors of garlic.
• Keto French Onion Soup — This award-winning recipe is the low-carb version of the classic French Onion Soup. Only 6 grams of net carbs for a meal you didn’t think you could ever have on a keto diet!

Garlic Is Keto Friendly

Since garlic is a vegetable, like an onion or a leek, it makes sense to wonder if garlic is keto. Fortunately, its potent flavor and the small portions we tend to use make it unlikely that you would ever eat enough of it to affect your macros.

But starting a keto diet can raise a lot of questions like this one. For a sample of what a good keto diet looks like, check out this free 7-day keto meal plan.